Flag of KenyaJamhuri ya Kenya

What the flag looks like

The Kenyan flag is a horizontal tricolor of black, red and green, separated by thin white stripes. At its center sits a traditional Maasai shield in black, red and white, crossed by two white spears. The proportion is 2:3 and the design has remained unchanged since independence in 1963.

Colors and meaning

Black represents the people of Kenya, red stands for the blood shed during the struggle for independence, green symbolizes the country's natural wealth, and white represents peace and unity. The Maasai shield and spears represent the defense of freedom.

Black

Represents the indigenous African people of Kenya and the unity of the nation.

Red

Stands for the blood shed during the Mau Mau uprising and the broader struggle for independence.

Green

Symbolizes Kenya's fertile land, agriculture and natural wealth.

White

Represents peace and honesty, and the fimbriations separate the bands to avoid heraldic color contact.

Maasai shield

The traditional shield and crossed spears in the center represent the defense of the nation and its freedom.

History and adoption

The Kenyan flag was adopted on 12 December 1963, the day Kenya gained independence from the United Kingdom. It is based on the flag of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), the political party that led the independence movement, which used black, red and green with a shield and spears. A year later, when Kenya became a republic in 1964, the flag was retained and the white fimbriations were added to separate the black, red and green bands heraldically.

Key facts

Adopted

12 December 1963

Proportion

2:3

Designer

Based on the KANU party flag

Capital

Nairobi

Country code

KE

Similar flags

Malawi, South Sudan

Frequently asked questions

What does the flag of Kenya look like?

The flag of Kenya has three horizontal bands of black, red and green, separated by thin white fimbriations, with a Maasai shield and two crossed spears centered on the flag.

When was the flag of Kenya adopted?

The current flag of Kenya was officially adopted on 12 December 1963.

What do the colors mean?

Black represents the people of Kenya, red stands for the blood shed during the struggle for independence, green symbolizes the country's natural wealth, and white represents peace and unity. The Maasai shield and spears represent the defense of freedom.

Which flags look similar to the Kenya flag?

The Kenyan flag shares its black-red-green color palette with Malawi and South Sudan, but only Kenya features a Maasai shield and crossed spears in the center.